1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flask for preparing a fixer-based cytological suspension.
2. Description of the Related Art
Flasks of this type are used in the state of the art for preparing cytological suspensions, particularly cervical or vaginal cytological suspensions, for analysis, etc . . .
Samples, particularly cervical or vaginal samples, are taken by practitioners with the aid of special brushes which are fixed, for example releasably, to manipulating handles.
Once the sample has been taken, the practitioner plunges the brush into the flask and detaches it from the handle so as to allow the sampled cells to be deposited in the fixer.
However, undesirable components may also be deposited in the fixer such as, for example, debris picked up by the brush during the sampling (mucous, aggregations, etc. . .), or skin scales from the practitioner that are deposited in the flask, particularly during handling of the brush in order to detach it from the handle, etc.
These components may be very inconvenient during subsequent analysis of the suspension.
The Applicant has already proposed a particular flask structure to try to solve these problems.
That flask is described in the document FR-A-2 792 331.
According to that document, the flask has an opening for receiving a cytological sampling brush fixed releasably to a manipulating handle and is characterized in that the opening of the flask comprises abutment means for the brush, enabling the brush to be trapped in the flask and detached from the handle, and at least one portion of perforated web for filtering the suspension during a pouring operation.
However, in use, a flask of this type has also shown some disadvantages particularly with regard to clogging of the portion of perforated suspension-filtering web by the above mentioned components.